JUST in time for the holidays, the Washington Post provided us all a reminder of why and how the media earned the title "Enemy of the People" by publishing a story titled ’Greatest Generation’ survey on race, sex and combat during World War II runs counter to its wholesome image (I won't do them the dignity of providing a link).
In this story, the author details a project undertaken by some loser professor at Virginia Tech who unearthed survey responses written by service members during WWII on their feelings on whether or not black and white soldiers should serve together or in separate units (the Army was segregated at the time). Unsurprisingly, about 80 percent of the 800,000 WWII soldiers surveyed believed that Blacks and Whites should train and serve separately.
The written responses published by the Washington Post are about what you would expect - a lot of soldiers saying things that, when deprived of historical context, are incredibly racist by today's standards.
One solider wrote "God has placed between us a barrier of color … We must accept this barrier and live, fight, and play separately.”
Another says "I'll never support a negro officer".
Even a black soldiers get in on the racism, with one sharing that the Army sucks and is filled with "crackers" who don't know the Civil War ended.
Illuminating stuff - I mean I had NO IDEA that between 1941 and 1945 some Americans held views on racial relations that were different than the ones we aspire to today. I'm also sure that this article and the historical project is in NO way designed to smear a generation of people that Americans generally revere for their sacrifices in defeating fascism, while also appreciating the fact some of the things they believed might have been misguided or flat out wrong by today's standards.
The media wouldn't push propaganda in effort to elevate a social justice narrative that America is and always has been an awful racist place. . . .would they?
Of course, missing from this article is the context that these soldiers, who witnessed unspeakable horrors battling literal Nazis and the barbaric Imperial Japanese Army, shared their opinions on integration of the Army during a period when the United States itself was not integrated.
These were average American men (much better than today's standard), who had endured The Great Depression, and were sharing opinions that were consistent with the time in which they lived. Holding these people (or anyone) to standards that did not exist during their lifetime is fucking bonkers. This is a concept that I've always assumed people understood and agreed upon, yet . . . here we are.
Is there some historical value in reading these accounts nearly 80 years later? Sure, I find them fascinating from a educational perspective. But to dissect them today and frame them as an indictment on that entire generation - that's gross miscarriage of decency.
Oh well, at least there were people around to troll them into oblivion for publishing this story and lucky for you, we've collected some of the best to share with you:
"Bro, before we storm this beach and probably die - did you notice how the Army lacks inclusivity?"
Damn, that sounds like a film Hollywood would actually make these days.
We made this one - we laughed.
Unfortunately, the lizard people don't celebrate Christmas.
Yep, these are the people who make the decisions to run with this stuff.
We made also made this one. We also laughed at this one.
Bingo.
FFS, don't give them any ideas!
Ending on one I made, which I also laughed at.
If you can't laugh at this stuff, you'll cry. If you're lucky enough to still have a member of The Greatest Generation, give them a thank you and big kiss on the cheek on behalf of all of us.
Happy Wednesday and God Bless America.